Suriname travel info Wiki
Suriname for independent travellers I travelled in Suriname for the first time in April/May 2009. It struck me that there are 6 (not very helpful) guide books, but 5 of them in Dutch. The info on Suriname online is disseminated across forums and also not very useful to independent travellers. If you want to explore the vast beauty of Suriname outside Paramaribo, the first thing you'll run into is that the 2 main tour operators (Mets and Stinasu) dominate the market, asking staggering prices of hundreds of €uro's for a trip anywhere outside Paramaribo. This web-page should gather practical information for independent travellers about local transport and accomodation, so they can spend their money on local initiatives and services, rather than prefixed tours by monopolized tour operators. This is just a small beginning, but with your help it can grow into a valuable source of information for those who seek other ways of travelling than the tour operators have to offer. I invite you to add your experiences and tips to this site, and keep it up to date. The way it works: you click the appropriate edit on the right side of the screen for the specific chapter you want to edit, and after you're done you click save at the bottom of the edit-window. Note: please keep it straightforward and informative, don't let it become a chat forum for personal accouts of internships. Also keep in mind that this page is for practical travel information (nice places, how to get there, whom to contact, prices, etc)... For information on interesting facts about about Suriname's highlights and historical background, check out the Wikitravel page on Suriname. General info Travel guides http://www.meetsuriname.com/ info(at)meetsuriname(dot)com Money 4 srd (Surinam dollars) = 1 €uro There are many ATM's in Paramaribo Prices taxi in the city = 10 - 15 srd room in a hostel = 40 - 100 srd djogo (1 ltr beer) = 8 - 15 srd bike without gears = 12 srd Communication Buy a Surinam SIM-card (from Telesur for instance), because your GSM is the way to get around. Volunteer work The SPS-office can hook you up with a project: Wagenwegstraat #15, Paramaribo http://www.projecthulpsuriname.nl/ info(at)projecthulpsuriname(dot)nl +597 520925. Paramaribo Accomodation It's easy to find accomodation in Paramaribo. One of the cheapest places in the center however is not well advertised: Guesthouse Paramaribo (the owner is called Humphry) A double room is 40 srd. Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat #95 (next to the Chinese restaurant; door sign reads: fam Caïro) A nicer place (100 srd) is: Un Pied a Terre guesthouse, Costerstraat #59. The owner (Yajo) lived for years in French Guyane and Suriname. He's got a lot of info... Airport Zanderij Zanderij is about 40 km south of Paramaribo. Taxi = 100 srd. The road (not the same as the one to Brownsweg) is the only good one in Suriname. Check-in is 3 to 2 hours before departure. Be on time, at least 2 hours before, not 2 minutes later! Otherwise they'll shut the doors and sell your seat to a person waiting there who was late 2 days before you. Brownsweg & Brownsberg Brownsweg is about 90 km south of Paramaribo and Brownsberg about 100 km. Public buses to Brownsweg leave from Saramaccastraat (ask around) until 11:00 AM, and cost 8,5 srd. To get to Brownsberg (up the "mountain") you'll need a 4-wheel drive, or something close. You can call Stinasu (which runs the camp on Brownsberg) and they'll take you for 50 srd (one way) per person. Once in the camp, don't pay for things (like transport back) in advance, in case you'll get a lift. To rent a hammock costs 15 srd per night, but they also have rooms. You can also buy a hammock on Saramaccastreet for 40 srd (in that case don't forget to bring rope). The nice guy who runs the restaurant is not from Stinasu and is called Rocky. His meals are 20 srd, the beer is 15 srd orso. A monkey researcher who has lived there for almost 2 years, and has a lot of information, is Andrew Ritchie: ritchie(at)nature(dot)berkely(dot)edu Atjoni Atjoni is about 60 km south of Brownsweg, and 150 km from Paramaribo. I don't know about buses from Brownsweg to Atjoni, but there is transport from Paramaribo to Atjoni; ask around on Saramaccastraat. One driver who takes cargo and passengers is Stanley, or Oplossing (Solution) as everybody calls him. He leaves between 8 and 9 AM. The fare is 60 srd per person. His cellphone: +597 8645530. In Atjoni the road ends. From here you'll have to take a korjaal (boat). One of the guys that take passengers is Norton: +597 7132580. From Atjoni to Gunsi (20 km, 1 hour) for instance is about 55 srd. Gunsi & Laduani (New Aurora) The village of Gunsie has developed a smale-scale eco-tourism facility called Tei-Wei. If you're not going to bring your food and drinks yourself (from Paramaribo), it's wise to contact them beforehand. A meal is about 15 srd, beer about 12 srd, and a bed in a hut 35 srd. The steward/host is called Wally Ajaiso, who also runs the local radio broadcasts. His cellphone: +597 8556278 (and maybe +597 8835274). His brother Bert lives in Paramaribo and can arrange things for you from there: +597 8828998. Kwami (or Dennis) Sinet is guide/host who can tell you anything about everything in the jungle: +597 8561452. Nathan (Nate) is/was a Peace Corps volunteer in Gunsie, helping set up the eco-tourism project. He might have more info: nathaniel(dot)winkler(at)gmail(dot)com Neighbouring Laduani (or New Aurora) has got an airstrip for small planes, so you can also fly from and to Paramaribo. Tonka Island The tourist resort here is run by Frits van Troon: +597 8899125, +597 6802060, +597 8251149, +597 401579. He is the most famous expert on Surinamese trees and plants. Botopasi The only info I have is the phone number: +597 8126045. Kajana The only info I have are these phone numbers: +597 8513652, +597 8841273. The Plantations If you like the climate it's nice to bike around in the old plantations. The main road (the East-West-connection) is quite busy and unpleasant to ride, but there are plenty of side-roads. For instance: If you take a korjaal to Meerzorg, and ride 1,2 km to the east, you'll see a road with a hindustan name going south (right). Ride that road for 650 metres and pay 10 srd for a swim in the huge swimmingpool! If you continue that road for 1,2 km more, then take a right, and follow the curve left, and keep going for 3,2 km you'll arrive in Peperpot (an old plantation site). Matapica To see huge leatherbacks and other turtles in Matapica you can call Nandram: +597 6804054 and +597 08507620. For travelling there, meals, drinks and accomodation in a tent or hammock (1 night) you'll pay 70 €uro per person. Nandram has a restaurant on plantation Johanna Margaretha #18. To get there take a bus to Leonsburg (8 km north-east of Paramaribo centre). Then take a korjaal to Kavel. Nandram will pick you up there and take you to Mariënburg and across the Commewijne/Cottica river to Johanna Margaretha. From there it's a fantastic boat trip through the swamps to the beach. Bring loads of MOSQUITO REPELLENT !!! At dusk they come... Albina Albina is where you cross by boat (10 to 15 srd) to French Guyana, or enter when you come from there. Reminder: if you don't have your passport stamped when you enter Suriname, you can't leave the country either. Some people found this out on Zanderij Airport, after they checked in for their flight; they had to go back to Albina for a stamp and then buy new plane tickets... Groningen Nothing going on here. That's why many people from Paramaribo come here to chill out. It's called Groningen because in the 19th century farmers (boeren in Dutch) came here to cultivate the land. But the boeroes from Groningen in the Netherlands were not adapted to Groningen in Suriname. Almost all of them died within a year of tropical deseases. Category:Browse